Canada's A-B-C teams

[Cole Caulifield]

In another thread I saw talks of Canada's C team being able to compete with the rest of the other teams at the World Cup so I decided to check it out and see what it would look on paper. I decided to have one shutdown line and three scoring lines with each team. Each team is composed of two extra forwards and two extra dmen (25 players). Most of my extra players are either young studs that will be integral parts of team Canada in the future or experienced guys that are there for their leadership. I also tried to have the forwards playing at their natural position or at positions they've played in the past.

Team A

Forwards
Lemieux (C)
Sakic (C)
Thornton (C)
Primeau (C)
Iginla (RW)
Heatley (RW)
St-Louis (RW)
Doan (RW)
Bertuzzi (LW)
Kariya (LW)
Draper (LW)
Tanguay (LW)
Nash (e)
Yzerman (e)

Defensemen
Blake
Pronger
Niedermayer
Foote
Jovanovski
Redden
Regehr (e)
Bouwmeester (e)

Goaltenders
Brodeur
Luongo
Belfour (e)

Team B

Forwards
Lecavalier (C)
Marleau (C)
Morrisson (C)
Peca (C)
Smyth (LW)
Morrow (LW)
O'neill (LW)
Gagne (LW)
Murray (RW)
Recchi (RW)
Sullivan (RW)
Nolan (RW)
Bergeron (e)
Richards (e)

Defensemen
Hannan
McCabe
Aucuin
Stuart
Smith
Philips
Jackman (e)
Boynton (e)

Goaltenders
Theodore
Turco
Fleury (e)

Team C

Forwards
Langkow (C)
Brière (C)
Madden (C)
Nieuwendyk (C)
Stillman (LW)
Roberts (LW)
Cooke (LW)
Arnott (LW)
Ryder (RW) ----- Homer's choice of the week
Reinprecht (RW)
Cheechoo (RW)
Dumont (RW)
Spezza (e)
Shanahan (e)

Defensemen
Souray
McKee
Brewer
Devries
Witt
Rathje
McClaren (e)
Boyle (e)

Goaltenders
Giguère
Raycroft
Joseph (e)

Guys like Friesen, Savard, Whitney, Comrie are better than most of the team C right wings but I wasn't sure if any of them could play RW effectively.

There are probably a lot of guys I forgot about. If there are any glaring omissions feel free to point them out. And I'd be glad if you guys could help me out to improve that B and C team.

At first glance it seems Canada's C team would only be able to compete with Germany out of the top 8 teams in the tourney.

Click to read more...

 

[wilka91*]

what good is having three teams when your A team goes just 4-3-1 against other countries' A teams, including a 2-3-1 record against European teams ... ?

Record from the past 2 Olympics.

 

[Bill McNeal]

Guys like Friesen, Savard, Gomez, Whitney, Comrie are better than most of the team C right wings but I wasn't sure if any of them could play RW effectively.

That, and Gomez is American

Good work on the teams. Our B team is quite impressive. Would be tough to win with that team, but with a few bounces and solid goaltending they could contend.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

what good is having three teams when your A team goes just 4-3-1 against other countries' A teams, including a 2-3-1 record against European teams ... ?

Record from the past 2 Olympics.

I don't recall having started a bash Canada thread...

 

[Cole Caulifield]

That, and Gomez is American

Good work on the teams. Our B team is quite impressive. Would be tough to win with that team, but with a few bounces and solid goaltending they could contend.

D'oh ! Thanx !

I'll edit that out !

 

[wilka91*]

No I'm not bashing anyone, this thread is for fun anyway. But in my opinion the fact that the NHL is a North American based league is very misleading because most people tend to think that NHL's 800 players are the top 800 players in the World ... which is not true, because there is a lot of players in the Finnish, Swedish, Russian and Czech leagues who could easily get 50 to 60 points a season.

 

[mikkoz]

Team C

Goaltenders
Theodore
Turco
Fleury (e)

Team C

Goaltenders
Giguère
Raycroft
Joseph (e)

I think Sean Burke can and should replace somebody of these goalies. He´s experienced and good goalie. And he is very good tournament player. (of course he´s been injured and backup of Eche at the moment)

 

[Bill McNeal]

I think Sean Burke can and should replace somebody of these goalies. He´s experienced and good goalie. And he is very good tournament player. (of course he´s been injured and backup of Eche at the moment)

Take out Fleury if we're going on a win-now basis. Keep him in if you want to give him "experience."

 

[Cole Caulifield]

No I'm not bashing anyone, this thread is for fun anyway. But in my opinion the fact that the NHL is a North American based league is very misleading because most people tend to think that NHL's 800 players are the top 800 players in the World ... which is not true, because there is a lot of players in the Finnish, Swedish, Russian and Czech leagues who could easily get 50 to 60 points a season.

Guys who get 50 and 60 pts are the best 100 scorers in the NHL. You seem to think it's easy to get 50-60 pts in today's NHL.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Take out Fleury if we're going on a win-now basis. Keep him in if you want to give him "experience."

That's how I see it too.

 

[Riggins]

No I'm not bashing anyone, this thread is for fun anyway. But in my opinion the fact that the NHL is a North American based league is very misleading because most people tend to think that NHL's 800 players are the top 800 players in the World ... which is not true, because there is a lot of players in the Finnish, Swedish, Russian and Czech leagues who could easily get 50 to 60 points a season.

Just like Jiri Dopita.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Just like Jiri Dopita.

Good one

 

[wilka91*]

yeah but Dopita's unsuccessful NHL career doesn't mean anything.
He's been one of Czechs top 3 players in Salt Lake.

It's just the way the game is played in the NHL ... some cannot adapt.

 

[Dave is a killer]

yeah but Dopita's unsuccessful NHL career doesn't mean anything.
He's been one of Czechs top 3 players in Salt Lake.

It's just the way the game is played in the NHL ... some cannot adapt.

Exactly, players from North America adapt easier to the NHL game, because that's the game they play growing up...hit anything you see, cause a turnover and go to the front of the net, where as the European game, is more puck posession, stick handling and not as many defensive-defensemen.

 

[Postman]

That, and Gomez is American

Klee as well.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Klee as well.

I replaced him by Boyle

 

[Postman]

I replaced him by Boyle

Regardless, Canada has a ton of depth. I don't think the B or C teams could beat the other top countries' A teams, but they could still be pretty good.

With a lot of good American prospects in recent drafts, I hope to see some depth for USA in the future, or at least more than we've had before. With hockey becoming more popular, maybe that'll come with time.

 

[s7ark]

Wow no Brewer at all?!?!?!? He had a great second half of the year and World Championships and played on the last 2 WC teams and the Olympic team. I would have put him on the top team before Jaybo or Regehr...

What don't you like about Brewer?

 

[BAuldie]

Regardless, Canada has a ton of depth. I don't think the B or C teams could beat the other top countries' A teams, but they could still be pretty good.

With a lot of good American prospects in recent drafts, I hope to see some depth for USA in the future, or at least more than we've had before. With hockey becoming more popular, maybe that'll come with time.

In a 1 game elimination tournament they sure could. No matter what happens Canadian fans still have the knowledge that we could legitimately send at least 2 teams that would have a decent shot at winning the tournament.

 

[Coburnfan05]

what good is having three teams when your A team goes just 4-3-1 against other countries' A teams, including a 2-3-1 record against European teams ... ?

Record from the past 2 Olympics.

Records mean squat when you actually win the gold medal. I think overall 3 Canadain teams could compete but not all medal. Depth wise Canda is deeper then any nation at the goaltender position and a little deeper overall then most at the forward position. As far as defense goes I think Cnada is amongst the leaders but depth overall at this position is not thier strong point.

Keep in mind If the Czech Rep. didn't split they could ice 2 teams too.

 

[Coburnfan05]

Just like Jiri Dopita.

and don't forget every leaf fans favorite Jonas Hoglund.

 

[mackdogs*]

yeah but Dopita's unsuccessful NHL career doesn't mean anything.

As an Oilers fan it sure does, that's one weak statement.

And I'm with Stark here - where's Brewer??

 

[ZombieMatt]

The point of the post is that Canada's depth is truly unrivalled.

However, there are other countries whose top flight talent can rival Canada's.

 

[wilka91*]

As an Oilers fan it sure does, that's one weak statement.

And I'm with Stark here - where's Brewer??

You just don't understand that EUropean hockey is too different from the NHL, and sometimes, when you're 30 years old it's hard to adapt.
Dopita sure sucked with the Oilers and Flyers or wherever he played, but he's a great great player ... which I don't refuse to say, even granted that I don't like the Czech team.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Wow no Brewer at all?!?!?!? He had a great second half of the year and World Championships and played on the last 2 WC teams and the Olympic team. I would have put him on the top team before Jaybo or Regehr...

I don't like Brewer all that much. He just hasn't impressed me a whole lot after the olympics but I forgot about him (how could I?) and he definately should be somewhere on the B or C team. I'll add him. Good call.

Bouwmeester is there for the same reasons Fleury is on the B team. Those tournaments aren't particularly physical and there shouldn't be many injuries so it's likely that JB wouldn't see any ice time anyway. It's just some good experience for him. Regher is there because he is the better defenseman IMO.

As for the B team I happen to like Hannan, Stuart, Philips, Aucuin, McCabe and Smith more. The other two guys are there for learning purposes. Which is why Brewer would be on my C team.

Why are you guys pushing for Brewer being on the A team instead of Smith ? I admit I haven't had the chance to watch a whole lot of oilers games but it always looked to me like Smith was the better defenseman. Altough he played well I'm still scratching my head as to why they had Brewer over Smith at the olympics ...